Protestors try building support to stop I-70 expansion

DENVER — We’ve been talking about expanding I-70 through the metro for nearly 15 years. And still, opposition to it stands strong–literally.

Dozens of folks came out to continue fighting the I-70 Expansion project they say is too expensive and won’t do much to reduce traffic congestion on Sunday.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) built the section of I-70 in the 1960’s. And now, CDOT will rebuild what’s considered the worst-rated bridge starting early next year.

That is, unless, a group with their “Ditch the Ditch” signs, can halt the highway.

“We’d like to see some better solutions,” says a protestor with a megaphone outside of City Park Golf Course.

“It’s the most expensive project in the state of Colorado. It’s not going to solve the problems. It’s a taxpayer-financed toll road,” says Brad Evans, whose a critic of the highway project.

The $2 billion I-70 East expansion project replaces the decades-old viaduct with a lowered-highway between Brighton and Colorado boulevards, with a toll lane added in each direction.

The highway would then be capped with four-acres of parkland on top.

“In the process, there will be a drainage ditch put in here on the west side of the park,” says LaMone Noles, President of City Park Friends and Neighbors.

She joins those opposed to the I-70 project with those behind the push to “Save City Park Golf Course.”

“My biggest concern is the ditch is in violation of the city charter which protects public parks in the city and county of Denver,” says Noles.

The I-70 expansion will use part of city park golf course for storm water detention, to help protect the lowered part of the new highway.

“We do not want the park, the golf course, destroyed. They are going to lose over 200 trees. They’re gonna get cut down,” says Noles.

And they say neighbors will have to deal with five years of construction and resulting traffic and environmental pollution.

It is a massive project, moving massive amounts of people, that some say is just a destination to wasted taxpayer money.

“Is this the best use of our public money?” questions Evans.

And to that CDOT says ‘yes.’

It has studied this project for 14 years, including hundreds of community meetings.

It will start work on the project in about six months.

CDOT says it “will remove a crumbling viaduct, reduce congestion and reconnect communities. CDOT is excited and ready to deliver these improvements to one of Colorado’s most critical interstates,” says spokesperson Rebecca White.

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The City and County of Denver and Saunders Construction are hosting a community open house to share updates on the redesign of City Park Golf Course. There will be stations with information on the following aspects[...]

Councilman Rafael Espinoza has been vocal about his concerns about the project.
“This is a colossal misuse of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer’s money that could be addressing a whole bunch of stormwater needs citywide,” Espinoza said in an interview. “While I think there is a nice and beautiful and more playable way of doing what we’re doing today, yes, I don’t object to the concept.”
That is, using the golf course for detention might be OK — just not like this.
“I do object to the way we’re using city funds and creating projects that aren’t necessary and building projects that aren’t necessary for this city, but are necessary for the interstate and confusing the two,” Espinoza said.
There are also questions as to whether the City Park Golf Course renovations will even see the light of day with multiple lawsuits against the project. Espinoza questioned how much the design process is costing the city for a project that could be halted by the court. Read more →

What does it say about our city and the value of its commitments when in one breath our mayor can pledge long term stewardship of the Denver Press Club building and in the next sacrifice City Park Golf Course to redevelopment for drainage? City Park Friends and Neighbors believe Denver can do better and we urge the Hancock Administration to meet the commitment it made to preserve and protect City Park Golf Course. Read more →